Excavating machine



March 21, 1933. R, R DOWNIE 1,902,692

EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed July 14, 1928 INVENTOR Dome,

ATTO NEY 'l atentecl Mar. 2 1 1933,

UNITED STATES ROBERT nnx nowmn, or BEAVER rants, PEN SYLVANIA EXCAVATING MA c iNn Application filed July 14,

This invention relates to excavating ma- I chines, and among other objects aims to 'provide an improved scoop of the latched bottom type wherein the hauling line, which'moves the scoop during the excavating stroke, is utilized to release the latch, permitting the bottom to'swing open and dump the contents of the scoop. The invention also includes a novel method of operating an excavating machine during the dumping phase of the excavating c cle. Referring to the drawing, wherein there is shown so much of an excavating scoop as is necessary for an understanding of the invention l Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a skimmer scoop equipped with the novel latch releasing mechanism and constructed and arranged for the practice of the method of the invention; r

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation showing the latch releasing mechanism on the rear wall of the bucket;

Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the latch controlling mechanism shown. apart from the scoop; and V Fig. 4 is a section on the line4-4 of Fig. 1. In. the Downie Patent No. 1,511,114 there is shown a ditching or trenching machine digging inwardly in a more or less arcuate-path and operated during the excavating cycle by two power lines, the dumping being accomplished by pulling on a special a tag line attached to the latch. In the Downie Patent 1,536,390 there is shown a skimmer scoop whose bottom is dumped by pulling on a tag line. These patents are fairly representative of the prior art: and clearly indicate that it hasalways been neces sary heretofore for the operator of the ma chine to operate the dumping line, or else to employ an extra man whose sole work is to control the dumping of the scoop. Both alternatives have serious drawbacks; the first, because of the labor imposed uponthe operator, and also because frequently he willlose control of the position of the scoop While reaching for and pulling the tag line; and the second, because of the labor cost and the fact that the two men may not co-ordinate 1928. Serial no. 292,657,

their efforts properly and mayfrequently spill the load,,i. e., dump it at the wrong spot. Power operatedlatch mechanisms have also been used to some extent, but these are necessarily quite expensive and are difficult toproteot adequately because of their location, on the boom and scoop portions of the machine, which are subjected tovery rough use.

According to this invention,'all tag lines, whether hand or power operated, and their mechanical. equivalents, are entirely. eliminated, and the latch is released'by power arising from a series of rapid jerks imparted to the hauling line, which is connected directly to the scoop and indirectly to the latch. I This application is closely related to companion application Serial No. 292,655 andto another application, Ser. No. 592,407 filed February 11, 1932asa substitute for'abancloned application Serial No. 292,656, filed July 14., 1928. a p Referring particularly to the drawing, there is shown a portion of a skimmer scoop (as in Patent No. 1,536,390), including a side wall 10, a rear wall 11, and a bottom 12 which ispivoted at the end of the scoop not shown in the drawing. To maintain the bottom 12 in closedposition, a latch piece 13 is secured to the bottom and engages with a pivoted latch 14 which is. normally held in closed position by-one or more springs 15. Asishown, the springs 15 are mounted on pins 16 having adjusting nuts 17 at their outer ends and the springs engage'wings 18 secured to the latch I 14 on either side so as to hold. the latch normally in the position shown while permitting 7 release of the latch to allowthe bottom to drop by gravity to dump the contents of the scoop. The invention is also usable in connection with latched scoops of the character Q shown in the Clutter Patent No. 1,317,431; but for simplicity, only one form of scoop is shown.vj'.t To permit control of the latch by manipulation of the hauling line 19, the latter is secured to a bell crank 20 whichis-pivoted to a bracket21 on the upper end of the rearwall 11 of thescoop and midway between the side walls 10, as shown; and the bell'cranklever is connected withthelatch releasing mechanism by a link 22 and arm 23 to which said link is pivoted. A pair of springs 2 L exert a pressure tending to revolve the bell crank in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1, while normal operating tension of the hauling line, as required for maintaining the scoop in position, holds the power-receiving arm of the bell crank in alinement with the direction of tension of the line.

Secured to the rear wall of the scoop but on the outside face thereof is a mechanism for releasing the latch when a series of vibrations or reciprocative impulses are imparted to it by means of the hauling line. While such a mechanism may take various forms, for illustrative purposes, I have shown a simplified construction, wvherein a weight is carried loosely in a casing having sloping walls, the

weight being attached to the operating arm of the latch and the casing being pivotally sup ported upon the rear wall 11. A series of jerks or vibrations of the hauling line cause the casing to oscillate sharply and this throws the weight against the opposite sloping walls thereof; and the upward components of force.

resuting from the repeated contacts of the weight with the sloping walls causes a progre'ssive elevation of the weight, releasing the latch. p

. As shown, the casing 25 is carried on wall 11 by means of a bracket 26, being pivoted on the outer end of said bracket, as at 27. The casing has sloping walls 28 and its lower end may be more or less tubular-as indicated at 29. Within the casing is a heavy weight 30, preferably more or less cylindrical in shape, and attached to the latch arm 31 bymeans of a. shank 32, integral with the weight,'and a chain or other flexible connection 33. The size of theweight is'such that it will be free to move to one side or the other of the casing to rest or strike against one of the walls 28. Descent of the weight to the narrowest portion of the casing is prevented, as by a cross pin 34 entering diametricallyopposite slots 35 in the tubular portion 29 of the casin The chain 33 is just long enough to extend between the lower end of the shank 32 and the outer end of the arm 31 without any appreciable slack. I

When the hauling line 19 is vibrated or reciprocated rapidly, the casing 25 will be rapidly oscillated about its pivot 27. This will cause the heavy weight 30 to bedashed against the inclined sides 28 ofthecasing; and as the vibrations build up, a considerable upward force is imparted to the weight and it latch is released, the bottom moves downwardly to dump the contents of the scoop.

To prevent the straight shank 32 from.

coming in contact with the lower, portions or" the walls 28, said walls and the tubular portion 29 are slotted at diametrically opposite points, as indicated at 36, said slots being sui iicientlywide to receive the shank, but not interfering in any way with the action of the weight. To keep dirt and other material from collecting within the casing, a cover 37 is secured to the top thereof. Y

li lechanism by which the line .19 is rapidly rcciprocated is not shown because such a mechanism forms no part of the present invention. There is shown only one kind of excavating scoop equipped with mechanism with, and without necessitating material change in the position of the bucket. Therefore, I seek in this and the companion appli-' cations, the broadest possible protection on my inventive concepts. 7

7 Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereofherein shown and described; nor is the method limited to use with mechanism of the character described.

\Vhat I claim is r 1. An excavating machine comprising, in

combinatioman. excavating scoop having a pivoted discharge wall and provided with a spring-actuated latch for controllingthe dis: charge of spoil from the scoop; apoweractuated hauling line attached to the'scoop for moving it through the earth; and latch operating mechanism mounted on the scoop and connected with the hauling lineand latch and so constructed and arranged thata series of rapid jerks on the mauling line releases the latch.

2. An excavatin machine comprising,.in combination, an excavatingscoop provided with a latched bottom; a spring for normally holding the latch in bottom-engaging position; a hauling line'attached to the scoop; and latch operating mechanism pivotally mounted on the scoop and pivotally connected with the hauling line andlatch and so constructed and arranged that a series of rapid erks on the hauling line causes relative movement among the parts of the latch operating mechanism for releasing the latch.

3. An excavating machine comprising, in combination, an excavating scoop provided with a latch-ed bottom; a hauling line attached to the scoop; and latch releasing mechanism mounted on the scoop and oper- V combination; an excavating scoop provided with a latched bottom; a haulingline attached to the scoop; and latch operating mechanism mounted on the scoop; said latch operating mechanism comprising a casing having two downwardly converging opposed plane surfaces, a weight within the casing, and a connection between the weight and the latch; the casing being so disposed relative to the line of pull of the hauling line that the weightstrikes the two opposed surfaces as the line is reciprocated rapidly. V

5. An excavating machine comprising, in combination, an excavating scoop provided with a latched bottom; a hauling line at tached to the upper part of the rear wall of the scoop substantially midway between the two side walls; latch operating mechanism mounted on the scoop adjacent to the connection of the hauling line but outside of the scoop and connected to said hauling line; said latch operating mechanism comprising a weight connected to the latch, and two'opposed inclined abutment surfaces which the weight alternately strikes when the hauling line is reciprocated.

6. An excavating machine comprising, in combination, an excavating scoop provided with a latched bottom; a hauling line attached to the scoop; and latch operating mechanism mounted on the scoop; said latch operating mechanism comprising a casing having two downwardly converging opposed plane surfaces, a weight within the casing, and a flexible connection between the weight and the latch; the casing being so disposed relative to the line of pull of the hauling line that the weight strikes the two opposed surfaces as the line is reciprocated rapidly; and means to limit upward movement of the weight in the casing. y I

7. An excavating machine comprising, in combination, an excavating scoop provided with a latched bottom; a hauling line attached to the scoop; and latch operating mechanism mounted on the scoop; said latch operating mechanism comprising a casing having two downwardly converging opposed plane surfaces, a weight within the casing, and a connection between the weight and the latch; the casing, being so disposed relative to the line of pull of the hauling line that the weight strikes the two opposed surfaces as the line'is reciprocated rapidly; the Weight having a heavy head for striking said surfaces and having a shank depending from saidhead; a flexible member connecting the lower end of the shank with the latch so that the weight may move freely inlthecasing from side to side; the casing being slotted on opposite sides to receive the shank, obviating interference with weight. p

8. An excavating machine 'comprising,"in combination, an excavating scoop provided with a-bottom and an automatically engaging latchfor said'bottom; a hauling line attached to the scoop; and latch operating mechanism mounted on the scoop said latch operating free vibration of the mechanism-comprising a casinghaving two downwardly converging opposed surfaces, 'a

between the weight and thelatch; said casing being pivoted at its lowerend to a wall of weight within the casing and a connection the scoop; means connecting the casing with the hauling line comprising a link pivotally connected at one end to the upper part of the V casing, and a lever pivoted at the top of the scoop at a point intermediate its ends and having one end pivotally connected with said link, the hauling line being secured to the other end of said lever; the parts being so arranged that rapid reciprocation of the haul-- ing line causes the weight to ascend by striking said downwardly converging surfaces, thus tripping the latch.

9. An excavating machine comprising, in combination, an excavating scoop provided with a bottom and an automatically engaging latch for said bottom; a hauling line attached to the scoop; and latch operating mechanism mounted on the scoop; said latch operating mechanism comprising a caslng having twodownwardly converging opposed surfaces, a'weight within the casing and a connection between the weight and the latch; said casing being pivoted atits lower end to a wall of the scoop; means connecting the casing with the hauling line comprising'a link pivotally connected at one end to the upper part 0 he casing, and aleverpivoted I at thetop of the scoop at a point intermediate its ends and having one end pivotally V connected with said link, the hauling line beingsecured to the other end of said lever;

the parts being'so arranged that rapid reciprocation of the hauling line causesthe weight to ascend by striking said downwardly converging surfaces, thus tripping the latch; and a spring secured to the lever and to the scoop to exert a constant pull on the hauling line through that arm of the lever to which said line is secured; said spring being of such strength that it yields to the tension on the hauling line which is required to maintain the scoop in position.v V

10. An excavating machine comprising, in

wall thereof pivoted for discharge of the spoil; a line for'hauling the scoop through the earth; an automatically engaging latch pivoted on the scoop for holding said wall L combination, an excavating scoop having one normally-closed; said latch having an arm projecting substantially ateright anglesto the wall on which the latch is mounted; a casing pivoted upon the same wall above the latch and having two downwardly converging opposed surfaces; a weight loose in the casing; a chain connecting said weightiwith the latch arm; a linkage connecting the casing with the hauling line so that rapid'reciprocations of 7' said line will effect rapid oscillation of the casing; and a spring connected to said link I age and tothe scoop to tend to hold said line taut, the strength of said spring being such that it yields to any force exerted along said line which will move the scoop during excavation or which will hold the scoop in position.

In testlmony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature. I

ROBERT REX DOWNIE. 

